THINK

The challenge

The English language—do you ever wonder how anyone learns it?  Within its walls reside all types of nuances and blatant booby traps.  Someone has taken the time to research the fact that of the 500 most used English words there are over 14,000 definitions.

The judge said, “I read the constitution so I am prepared for this case.”  You have only a 50% chance to know exactly what the judge said.  We drive on a parkway and park on a driveway.  And they often collect tolls on the freeway.  

For most of us the dictionary definition of the word bomb would suffice.  We might even create a mental image of a finned cylinder.  However, to a person who has lived through night after night of bombing, the word bomb evokes a visceral reaction.

Searching for answers

Seventy five years ago Alfred Korzybski created a method to study these inconsistencies.  He called the study “General Semantics.”  The visceral reaction individuals have to a word or phrase he labeled ‘semantic reaction.’  Many of his ideas have found their way into psychology, communication studies, and even medicine.  Understanding and utilizing Korzybski’s formulations can produce a profound positive mind set in an individual.  Unfortunately many persons pass through life unnecessarily struggling with the tyranny of words.

We daily evaluate people, opportunities, dangers, situations, etc. At its best, we can call  this activity critical thinking.   We propose providing students with tools to do this evaluation cognitively instead of mindlessly.  Utilizing these same tools will assist individuals to communicate cognitively with others, and themselves (yes, we talk to ourselves) in ways that match to reality.

Accepting a challenge

Realizing the reality of this situation, some members of the Institute of General Semantics began to discuss a way to expose K-12 students to some general semantics formulations.  We knew we wanted to provide something to educators of children free of charge.  Eventually a draft was assembled. Then we had to call upon experienced teachers to tell us in which grade different topics belonged.  Although designed for use in a traditional school setting, parents of home schooled children can pick and choose exercises.

The program was put on a disc and disseminated for comment.  Changes were made.  Revisions were printed.  

The process continues

The program now appears in three iterations.  First, we have the material separated by subject matter.  Second, we arrange it by grade level.  Lastly, we have a schedule for bringing a school system on line.  The last schedule covers a four year period when all students would have a slightly accelerated schedule.  Starting in the fifth year, all students would be using our regular graded schedule.

One of the reviewers asked if we could somehow put some of this information into small lessons for children attending faith and value summer camps.  Thus we had the genesis of our Solomon-lite booklets.  

Ultimately someone suggested that we put our material on a web site.  This would keep down costs, and provide those persons with interest an opportunity to explore the site to gain a view of our objectives.  Thank you for visiting.  If you have not had an opportunity to review Educating Children, doing so now will provide you with even a greater overview of this program.